Catheters may be located in various venous locations and cavities throughout the body of a patient for introduction of fluids to a body or removal of fluids from the body. Such catheterization may be performed by using a single catheter having multiple lumens. A typical example of a multiple lumen catheter is a dual lumen catheter assembly in which one lumen introduces fluid and the other lumen removes fluid. Catheterization may also be performed by using multiple single-lumen catheters, such as TESIO® catheters sold by Medical Components, Inc. of Harleysville, Pa.
A proximal end of each catheter lumen is typically connected to a distal end of an extension tube via a hub permanently secured to the catheter and the distal ends of the extension tubes. Each extension tube has a standard connector at its proximal end for connection to a medical device, such as a hemodialysis machine. Such connectors are commonly referred to as “luers”. A luer includes standard male threads for connection of a proximal cap to the luer when the luer is disengaged from the hemodialysis machine to prevent blood from flowing out of the catheter. As a backup to the cap, a clamp, such as a Roberts clamp, is typically disposed over the extension tube. The clamp restricts fluid flow through the extension tube by compressing and closing the extension tube between a pair of clamp jaws. For long term catheterization, the clamp must be opened and closed numerous times, which may lead to a failure of the extension tube and blood loss from the catheter. It would be beneficial to provide an alternate method of providing a backup for the cap to secure the catheter between dialysis treatments.
The luer connector comprises a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passage extending therethrough between the proximal end and the distal end. The passage fluidly connects the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal end includes a fitting (or proximal cap) for releasably connecting the connector to an external device. The distal end is fluidly connected to a conduit, and a distal cap is commonly securable to the distal end of the luer connector to protect the connection of the luer connector to the conduit, which may be an extension tube or it may be a catheter lumen directly.
It has been observed that, after the catheter assembly has been placed in a patient, the catheter or extension tube on which the clamp is positioned may become damaged through several, or even one, cycles of clamping and unclamping. During repair of a patient-implanted catheter assembly, the luer connector is removed or severed from the extension tube, leaving a remaining length of extension tube extending from the hub and containing the clamp thereon, in the clamped state. Although repair kits may include a length of tubing for placement over the extension tube (or catheter) after the original luer connector is removed or severed from the extension tube (or catheter lumen), for being positioned within the clamp in order to protect the catheter lumen or extension tube, it is also often not utilized although expressly recommended.
It is desired to provide an efficacious way to assure that a physician can easily position the clamp on a protective sleeve over the catheter or extension tube following placement of a luer connector on the proximal end of a catheter lumen or its extension tube during repair.